【Discover the Charm Series】 The Best of Ehime Prefecture　

In this article, let me take you to Ehime Prefecture.

Have you ever been there? There is no Shinkansen taking you to Ehime and getting there by plane or train is not easy either, so there may be many people who have never visited.
I will tell you about the appeal of Ehime Prefecture and I hope you find it interesting enough to go. (It is also where I was born, by the way.)

Tourist sites in Ehime

First, let’s have a look at some sightseeing spots in Ehime Prefecture.

I will introduce three tourist spots that I recommend based on personal experience.

①Dogo Onsen
Known as Japan’s oldest hot spring, Dogo Onsen’s retro atmosphere is said to have been one of the locations that inspired the spa town depicted in the animated movie “Spirited Away.” After slowly warming up in the hot spring, try the famous “Bo-chan dumpling” served in the tatami waiting room to boost up your energy.

②Shimanami Kaido
Take in the beautiful scenery of this holy place of cycling enthusiasts and enjoy it to the fullest.
You can rent a bicycle to cross the ocean, and I highly recommend it.

③Matsuyama Castle
Construction on the castle began in 1602, and it Yoshiaki Kato became the first feudal lord to live here.

It holds 21 important cultural properties worth seeing.
As it is located on a mountain in the center of Matsuyama city, the view from the castle tower is beautiful too.

You can hike up the mountain or you can use the ropeway, and thus enjoy different perspectives when climbing and descending.

Food in Ehime

Next, I will talk about food in Ehime Prefecture.
Here are three of my favorite foods.

①Yakitori (grilled chicken),　Imabari city
Although people from other areas may find this unusual, in Imabari, Yakitori (grilled chicken) is grilled on an iron plate without any skewers. Imabari is a shipbuilding town where it has always been easy to obtain iron plates, this cooking method has become prevalent.
The chicken is crispy and served with a rich sauce, so it goes really well with rice and alcohol.

②Taimeshi　(rice with sea bream), Matsuyama city and Uwajima city
Did you know that there are two types of taimeshi?
In the area around Matsuyama, the rice is mixed and cooked with grilled sea bream, while in the area around Uwajima, marinated sea bream sashimi is simply placed on top of the cooked rice.
I like grilled sea bream but both are really delicious. Please try both to compare them and find the one you like.

③Jakoten, Uwajima city
Jakoten is small fish paste deep-fried in oil.
It is one of my favorite foods, so I used to buy it as a gift for other people too.
You can eat it as it or fry it. Both are delicious. When you visit Ehime, it is a good gift to take back for your family and friends.

When you say Ehime, you say mandarin oranges

When speaking of Ehime, you must mention oranges.

There are many kinds of oranges, among which are Decopon, Setoka, Iyokan, Kiyomi, Harumi, and more. Honestly, even I would not be able to tell them apart.

At Matsuyama Airport, a limited-offer event offers “orange juice from the tap.” Everyone in Ehime loves oranges.

【Message from the author】

We looked briefly at Ehime Prefecture today.

It is a place with sea and mountains, full of nature, and with relaxing hot springs that will heal and relax both your body and soul when you visit.
I hope that reading this article made you want to go to Ehime one day.